Tuan Guru, a Great Figure of Indonesian Remembrance in South Africa

20 March 2019

"This book launching event has a significant meaning not only for South Africa, but also for Indonesia. This book is a concrete manifestation of the strong historical relations between the two countries. I do hope that this book will further enrich people's recollection of the very important relations between Indonesia and South Africa," said Mr Salman Al Farisi, Ambassador of the Republic of Indonesia in Pretoria when delivering his address at the launch of the book “From the Spice Islands to Cape Town: Life and Master's Period of Teachers " in Cape Town, South Africa on March 17, 2019.

Ambassador Salman Al Farisi attended the event by the invitation of the South African Waqf Institute, AWQAF SA. As the South African national waqf institution which has a mission to empower the people, this book is part of the Awqaf Project Leaders and Heritage project to honour South Africa’s past and present leaders.

SA artist making waves in Sweden

by Stella Sigcau

20 March 2019

Sisanda Nilsson who is making waves in Sweden has made a name for herself as a songwriter and performing artist, building a career on a global scale. She has performed in some of South Africa’s and Europe’s biggest events such as the Ugu Jazz Festival, Durban Jazz Festival, Frizon, Storsjoran, MylthSylth, KlusFestivalen and many more. Her hit single, “If this is love” won Swedish competition called p4Nasta in Jamtland province in 2017.

She has worked with both local and international well known producers like Markus Gorasson, Johan Arveli and Mondli Ngcobo. In 2018 she embarked on a successful tour with her band in Sweden and released her first acoustic album. In celebrating Africa day she’ll be joining other well known artists including Daniel Ess, Tobbe P Danjelisa Kojo perfoming on 29 May 2019 during the Vikings Island Roots Reggae Festival in Storsjoteatern, Sweden.

Eyptian Coffee Morning

18 March 2019

Mrs. Dina Issa graciously hosted members of the International Diplomatic Spouses Association of South Africa (IDSA) on 14 March 2019 for their monthly coffee meeting. Mrs. Dina Issa is the spouse of Mr Sherif Issa, Ambassador of Egypt to South Africa.

Guest speaker Mr Fanie Vermaak’s interest in Egypt was sparked mainly by ancient Egyptian sports. Drawings and inscriptions on various monuments depict the many sports that were practiced by Ancient Egyptians and many of these are featured in the modern day Olympic Games.

SA, Vietnam to do more to elevate relations

South Africa and Vietnam have agreed that, while cordial relations remain between the two countries, more needs to be done to expand trade opportunities.

(Photo credit: Yandisa Monakali, DIRCO)

The fourth Meeting of the South Africa-Vietnam Intergovernmental Partnership Forum for Economic, Trade, Scientific, Technical and Cultural Co-operation discussed relations between the two countries.

Hosting her Vietnamese counterpart, Deputy Minister Quoc Cuong, South Africa’s International Relations and Cooperation Deputy Minister Reginah Mhaule said there is a need to reach a more balanced trade relationship between the two nations.

TICAD, the first and one of a kind

18 March 2019

In 1993 Japan as a country took the lead in hosting the first international conference on Africa’s development. Hosted in Tokyo, the conference was initiated as a result of donor and aid fatigue, which saw minimal results and donor frustration.

The “Tokyo Declaration on Africa’s Development” adopted at the conference, set out guidelines for interactions with Africa to move beyond the dependence on aid and donor funding, to ownership and commerce. The declaration recognized and acknowledged that the African continent is bountiful and that reforming and re-thinking the socio-economic and political processes would unlock Africa’s untold potential.

The 2019 TICAD VII (7) will take place in Yokohama in August this year. The G20, the Rugby World Cup and WAW, the World Assembly for Women, will all be held in Japan this year. Japan will be sufficiently occupied as Tokyo prepares to host the 32nd Summer Olympic Games in 2020.

Why Democracy is Indivisible from African Development

Greg Mills and Olusegun Obasanjo

2019-03-15

Merely reducing the chronic poverty that African countries face today is a challenge that places high demands on government and necessitates very effective political institutions. In addition, over the next 35 years, African countries will also be faced with an extraordinary demographic challenge.

Most countries will double their population by 2050 and there is almost nothing that can be done to change this demographic reality. The continent’s population is expected to more than double to 2.6 billion by 2050 and account for 57% of the world’s growth in people.

Africa’s population growth will cause most countries to become younger, a trend that will occur at the same time that the rest of the world ages.

As The Economist has noted, ‘Africans will make up a bigger and bigger share of the world’s young people: by 2100, they will account for 48% of those aged 14 and under.’

Or, put differently, the world’s ten youngest countries will be in Africa. If properly planned for, Africa’s population increase and the resulting large number of young people present an enormous opportunity and asset. Young people are tremendous sources of entrepreneurship, energy and willingness to innovate as new technologies emerge. If young people are able to participate in their economies, being the world’s youngest continent would be a great advantage. The World Bank has estimated that the demographic dividend alone could generate 11% to 15% GDP growth between 2011 and 2030.

Women in Mining – Bloodless Diamonds Africa

2019-03-18

The appointment of Dineo Peta to the positions of Managing Director of Staten Island Trading and Legal Director of Bloodless Diamonds Africa was unopposed. Having been part of the strategic management team set up several months ago to take Bloodless Diamonds Africa- a four year old mining contractor and diamond solutions company to the international playing field, she rose to the positions as a natural.

BDAfrica is partly owned by Staten Island Trading- a 14 year old mining equity holding company involved in Alluvial diamond mining in South Africa and which holds an equity stake in 3 operational diamond mines.

Dr/Adv Navin Naidoo, the outgoing MD of SIT has the utmost regard for this appointee. “Dineo is perfect for the role. A powerful exceptionally well educated, self-employed, owns her own law firm, mining law specialist, environmental law specialist, litigation specialist, African woman and mother- we are bloody lucky to have her!”

SA seals SKA Observatory deal

12 March 2019

South Africa has signed the international treaty establishing the Square Kilometre Array Observatory (SKAO) as an intergovernmental organisation tasked with building and operating the world's most powerful radio astronomy telescope.

Science and Technology Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi-Ngubane, who signed the Convention Establishing the Square Kilometre Array Observatory on behalf of the South African government, is in Rome, Italy, today.

Photo: The initial signatories of the SKA Observatory Convention. From left to right: UK Ambassdor to Italy Jill Morris, China’s Vice Minister of Science and Technology Jianguo Zhang, Portugal’s Minister for Science, Technology and Higher Education Manuel Heitor, Italian Minister of Education, Universities and Research Marco Bussetti, South Africa’s Minister of Science and Technology Mmamoloko Kubayi-Ngubane, the Netherlands Deputy Director of the Department for Science and Research Policy at the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science Oscar Delnooz, and Australia’s Ambassdor to Italy Greg French (Credit: SKA Organisation)

“Despite all the constraints we remain committed to continue to support the Islamic Republic of Iran. It is my firm belief that today’s meeting will add further momentum to our bilateral relations, such that South Africa and Iran will weather the storm together,” said the Deputy Minister.

President Ramaphosa concludes eSwatini working visit

4 March 2019

President Cyril Ramaphosa has returned from a working visit to the Kingdom of eSwatini where he held talks with King Mswati III on a range of bilateral issues.

In a statement, the Presidency said President Ramaphosa’s visit formed part of a series of courtesy calls on heads of state and government in the Southern African Development Community following his election as President in February 2018.

President Ramaphosa has paid similar visits to Angola, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Namibia and Mozambique.